


we're small, but we're strong.

by sanctify (orphan_account)



Series: ☆ strong in the real way - marinette week 2020 ☆ [5]
Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Gen, Marinette Week, Marinette Week 2020
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-30
Updated: 2020-03-30
Packaged: 2021-02-28 19:21:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 740
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23392405
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/sanctify
Summary: we're smooth and refined.
Relationships: Gina Dupain & Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug
Series: ☆ strong in the real way - marinette week 2020 ☆ [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1677403
Comments: 8
Kudos: 26





	we're small, but we're strong.

**Author's Note:**

> I GOT SUMMER SANDALPHON AND VAJRA I AM SO HAPPY TO BE ALIVE IN THE YEAR OF OUR LORD 2020 AND NOW I MUST GET THOSE DAMNED EUROPA HARPS LMAO HELP
> 
> also i kept typing "noona" instead of "nonna" and im like........ noona neomu yeppeo.... michyeo.... replay, replay, replay......
> 
> day 5: grandma

“Nonna, am I ugly?”

Gina stopped mid-lick on her ice cream cone, looking surprised. “Of course not, mia Marinetta. You could never be ugly. You’re so pretty, so gorgeous!” She leans down and peppers kisses across her cute granddaughter’s cheeks until the little angel starts giggling.

“Why, did someone call you ugly?” Gina asks, frowning after they finished their ice creams.

“Nuh-uh,” Marinette says, shaking her head and smiling. “I was just… wondering. Today, some boys in the next classroom said that they liked my classmate Aurore and that she was pretty because she’s tall and blonde.” She worries her bottom lip. “I’m small, I’m not blonde, I have freckles… does that make me ugly?”

“It doesn’t, Marinetta,” Gina says, patting her little granddaughter’s hair. “Those boys just like that girl because that’s their standard of beauty.” She takes a strand of Marinette’s hair, twirling it in her fingers.

“Standard of beauty…?”

“Yup,” Gina said, lifting Marinette up and twirling her around.

“N-nonna~!” Marinette squeals, laughing out loud.

“One day, you’re going to find someone who will think you’re beautiful, Topolina, without wanting you to change anything. They’ll love your freckles, your height, your hair color, everything. Just wait for them, okay?”

Marinette tilted her cute little head in confusion before smiling, “Okay!”

Gina laughed. Oh, Marinetta. Her little darling was too young still to understand. But in due time, she will.

* * *

It had been a while since she was back in Paris. All these tales of superheroes and villains wreaking havoc basically pushing Gina away from coming back.

But her Marinetta’s fourteenth birthday was coming up and she wanted to be there for her little mouse. She bought the candies that Marinetta mentioned liking, along with a t-shirt that might be a bit small on her, but she’s sure it’ll fit. Marinetta is an accomplished seamstress, she can make it work.

* * *

Those stories of monsters and heroes were true.

She had turned into one, and it was terrifying.

She had been upset with her dearest granddaughter but not enough to want to… that was basically murder, wasn’t it? Some freak had basically possessed her, turned her emotions into a weapon, and made her what… go on a rampage in the streets of Paris? She doesn’t remember much of what happened, but she remembers pointing a gun on her own granddaughter and her friends…

That had messed her up for days.

It would have continued to mess her up if not for her darling Marinetta and that boy dressed as a black cat. They’d both told her that it was, unfortunately, the norm in Paris. If she wanted to talk about her feelings, there were support groups to help her cope.

“One of the bigger ones meet every week on Saturdays at Collège Françoise Dupont after morning classes let out,” Marinette said, massaging Gina’s hands with her own.

“The school was chosen because the majority of the Akumatized victims are people who go to Françoise Dupont, whether as teachers or students,” the boy, Chat Noir, says as a follow-up before Gina can even ask why.

“If you go there this Saturday, you’ll see a lot of familiar faces, most of them are classmates of mine that you saw at my birthday party, Nonna,” Marinette smiles ruefully. “If you want me to go with you, I don’t mind.”

Chat Noir places a hand on Marinette’s shoulder and smiles at her.

Were they always the ones who gave the post-battle talk to these ‘Akumatized’ victims? The cat boy Gina could understand, but her granddaughter?

And the way these two looked at each other… the way Chat Noir looked at her granddaughter in particular…

Well, she wasn’t going to judge at all. She approved of this cat boy, whoever he is. Only a fool would think her little mouse was ugly.

“What do you say, Nonna?” Marinette asked, squeezing her hands gently. “If you don’t want to, that’s fine. It can just be the two of us. I’ll listen to whatever you have to say.”

Gina Dupain finally smiled after that disaster that happened on her dear angel’s birthday. Her Marinetta has grown so well, into such a mature and beautiful young lady. She stood up straighter, she looked more confident than when she was a child asking her about beauty...

“Thank you. I’ll take you up on that offer, Marinetta. Let’s go to the Saturday meeting?”

Marinette smiled brightly, “Of course, Nonna.”

**Author's Note:**

> twitter: [reflekdoll](http://twitter.com/reflekdoll)


End file.
